Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is out at the end of this month, and it looks like it will be another solid entry in the beloved JRPG franchise. However, numbered entries in a popular series can be daunting for newcomers, as it can often be difficult to determine whether it is safe for you to jump in or not. Although Xenoblade Chronicles technically started with the often-neglected Xenogears on the original PlayStation, Xenoblade has established itself as a franchise that can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of its convoluted history.
Is Xenoblade Chronicles 3 A Sequel?
In short, the answer to this question is, yes. Monolith Software has already confirmed through trailers that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will connect to the other two mainline installments in some fashion, but fans have mostly spent their time speculating. However, you don’t need to play the other titles to enjoy this game – you will just have an extra level of enjoyment if you’re familiar with previous events.
For instance, every Final Fantasy game shares core themes and ideas throughout each mainline installment, such as the names of weapons and spells, the iconic Chocobos, and important characters. Xenoblade Chronicles is similar in the fact that it uses similar concepts, especially when it comes to gameplay mechanics and worldbuilding techniques. However, each entry can be enjoyed as a standalone experience, though like I previously mentioned, you’re more likely to have an added level of enjoyment if you’ve played the other games.
For this next part, there will be some significant spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so if you’re wanting to experience those games spoiler free, I highly suggest you stop reading this article now. You have been warned.
About ¼ of the way through Xenoblade Chronicles 2, there is a sudden appearance of Shulk and Fiora from the first Xenoblade Chronicles game. Although they don’t add too much to the plot, references like these are extremely common throughout the series. However, without going into too much detail, there are moments in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 where it directly connects to its predecessor, as it heavily suggests that there are multiple Monados.
Overall, it looks like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will indeed be a direct sequel to the other two games, however, this doesn’t prevent new players from diving into the action with this third entry. With just over two weeks until launch, we will need to wait to see how Xenoblade 3 connects with the rest of the franchise.